Inside the Star Wars Empire, by Bill Kimberlin

You probably don't know Bill Kimberlin's name, but it's almost a certainty that you have seen his work.  Kimberlin, a special effects artist at Industrial Light and Magic for many years, was behind many of the memorable scenes of the Star Wars movies, Jurassic Park, and many more.  In Inside the Star Wars Empire: A Memoir, Kimberlin reflects on his career in the movie business, telling story after story about movies and the people who make them.

Lest you get distracted by the title and cover illustration, Inside the Star Wars Empire isn't all about Star Wars.  Fans of that great movie franchise will find plenty to love, but Kimberlin writes more broadly about ILM, George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, and the many other Lucas films and side projects Kimberlin worked on.  In addition, Kimberlim tells lots of anecdotes about movie history, and reflects on his own life and his family's history.  At times, these subjects mix and mingle in a rambling way, but mostly they are fun to read.

The strongest thread through Inside the Star Wars Empire is Kimberlin's love of movies and joy he has experienced from being a part of the process.  He's in love with the "magic to make it all happen--that rare mix of technology, money, business acumen, talent, and luck."  In his role producing special effects, he "wanted to take temporary control of the viewer's brain and convince him or her that we were telling the truth, when we obviously were lying."  And as he points out, we in the audience are coconspirators.  We "love being fooled and scared." 

While many of his stories have him rubbing shoulders with big-name stars, flying on private jets, or hanging out in cool locations, he also captures the day-to-day of the business.  He writes, "if you could just get past the well-advertised but largely absent glamour of working in the movie business, it could be a hell of a lot of fun."  The fun he experiences in the world of movies is contagious and his narrative of it is fun to read.  If you love movies, especially George Lucas's many hits, you will enjoy this book.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!